Kampala, Uganda | Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) has recorded an impressive growth in electricity access, with 648,404 new customer connections made in just six months since taking over operations from UMEME in April this year.
(L-R) Benson Turamye, Executive Director of Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Patrick Birungi, Executive Director Uganda Development Corporation (UDC) and Paul Mwesigwa, Managing Director Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) interacting during the meeting held at State House Investors Protection Unit Offices on Tuesday 16 September 2025. PPU PHOTO.
CanonBenson Turamye, Executive Director of Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) remarking. PPU PHOTO.
The announcement was made by UEDCL Managing Director, Mr. Paul Mwesigwa, during the weekly State House Investors’ Protection Unit (SHIPU) meeting held on Tuesday, 16th September 2025. The meeting brought together government agency heads to review progress and tackle emerging challenges.
According to Mwesigwa, the number of connections has grown from 1,782,085 in April to 2,430,489 customers by mid-September. He further noted that the number of grid-connected households has expanded sharply, rising from 1,687,267 to 2,327,898 over the same period.
Over the past half year, UEDCL has also expanded the national grid length from 3,431 km to 5,140 km, while the total installed power generation capacity has increased from 1,362 megawatts to 2,049 megawatts.
In addition, energy losses, one of the sector’s major challenges, have dropped from 19.1% to 16.8%, reflecting improved efficiency.
“The government took a fundamental decision to take over all the privately operated concessionaires. That is a fundamental achievement; in that regard, the government has actually scored very well,” Mr. Mwesigwa remarked.
He also commended the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) for accrediting UEDCL, which he said has significantly accelerated the speed of making new connections.
The meeting also featured input from other agencies, including the Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company (UECCC), represented by senior Monitoring and Evaluation specialist Mr. Desmond Tutu Opio.
Opio shared progress on UECCC’s mandate to promote renewable energy access, highlighting efforts under the Electricity Access Scale-Up Project (EASP) worth USD 110 million. The project, implemented with support from the World Bank, GIZ, and the Dutch government, has enabled partnerships with 27 financial institutions and 87 energy companies.
Achievements so far include deployment of:
20,200 solar lanterns, 306,000 home solar systems, 307 carbonised biomass cookstoves, 1,190 solar-powered water pumps, 277 solar-powered refrigerators.
These interventions have reached rural districts such as Mayuge and Pakwach, cutting reliance on biomass and expanding clean energy adoption.
During the session, Canon Benson Turamye, Executive Director of PPDA, raised concerns about vandalism of power infrastructure, which continues to hinder access, particularly in rural areas.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kule Walid from the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) commended UEDCL for its swift takeover, describing the results as “encouraging and worth mass media publicity.”
Mr. Edward Katende, CEO of the Uganda Development Forum (UDF), urged government to package and share such success stories widely, while Mr. Patrick Birungi, Executive Director of Uganda Development Corporation (UDC) and chair of the meeting, emphasized intensifying public communication through traditional and digital media platforms.
Background
In April 2025, the government, through UEDCL, officially took back electricity distribution operations from UMEME, a private concessionaire whose 20-year contract ended. The move was part of a broader policy to consolidate state control over strategic utilities and reduce electricity costs for consumers.
Since the takeover, UEDCL has focused on expanding last-mile connectivity, improving efficiency, and integrating renewable energy solutions into Uganda’s energy mix.
With nearly 2.5 million customers now connected to the grid, Uganda is making steady progress toward its target of achieving universal electricity access by 2040.